A California man house-sitting for his parents ended up setting their home on fire while trying to kill spiders with a blowtorch.
Nearly 30 firefighters responded to a house fire in Fresno on Tuesday evening.
The man told first responders he had seen many black widow spiders on the façade of the home and tried to exterminate the creepy-crawlies with a blowtorch, ABC30 News reported.
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Fire officials believe the blowtorch ignited flammable material on the building’s exterior, sending the home up in flames.
“This is definitely not the preferred method to exterminate spiders in and around your home,” Fresno Fire Department Capt. Robert Castillo said.
Officials estimate the blaze caused about $10,000 in damage.
“Please don’t use a blowtorch to kill spiders,” the fire department tweeted.
It’s unclear if the spiders survived the torching.